Adaptations To a New Normal
by SG-LAB
Summary: Elizabeth has worked hard to adjust to the changes in her life due to a chronic illness


Title: Adaptation To a New Normal

Rating: G

Type: Gen

Characters/Pairings: Elizabeth, Peter and Neal with background Peter/Elizabeth

Summary: Elizabeth has worked hard to adjust to a chronic debilitating disease

A/N: A response to a prompt on LJ comm collarcorner: **Prompt/Request:** One of the characters loses a sense or faculty (for example, is blinded or suffers a back injury or loses the use of one or both hands) and has to learn to live independently again; emphasis on the strategies that they use to do everyday things that used to be easy for them.

1

Elizabeth sat at the Burke dining room table listening and writing as Yvonne told her what had been taken care of for Burke Premier Event's latest event.

"Hold on, Yvonne," Elizabeth cut in trying to keep up. El was writing on a yellow legal pad she had pulled out of her leather organizer. She had several separators within the organizer tagged with a different color for each subject. Post-It notes were sticking in every nook and cranny of the organizer reminding Elizabeth of one thing or another.

A year ago Elizabeth had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis; a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. When she started experiencing persistent numbness in her left foot she went to her doctor. The numbness spread to both feet and up her legs. Eventually she and Peter had made the difficult decision to sell their house and move into a single level house.

In a way she could deal with the physical limitations the disease had put on her, but then she would lose focus or forget things. It frightened her to think this disease could affect her mind. Post-Its were now scattered about the house reminding her of things she needed to get done. They were more of a 'just in case' than anything. A schedule was a very important part of her daily regimen now.

And while she had always worked from home on occasion, she now worked from home more often. Peter had cut back dramatically on his field work and would soon take a permanent desk job so he could be home early at night.

"All right," Elizabeth said. "What is left to do?" She pulled out another legal pad from a separator labeled 'To Do' after putting her first legal pad in the 'Done' labeled separator.

To her relief everything was taken care of and El was soon finished talking to Yvonne. She looked at her personal To Do list and was reminded she needed to call a cab for later.

List nearly complete, she pressed the palms of her hands against the surface of the table pushing herself up into a standing position and grabbed the walker next to her.

She made her way across the living room towards the bathroom. Satchmo walked alongside her keeping at a pace and distance he would not trip her. After a few times she had lost her balance Satchmo had seemed to understand what she needed. A few times she had even been able to use him as a way to stand back up when she had fallen onto the floor.

Entering the bathroom, she left the walker just outside the door and grabbed onto the railing along the wall. Over the last year the symptoms had been intermittent. Lately her balance had been off and the on and off numbness in her lower extremities was more on than off. When they had moved into their new house El had taken charge and figured out what she would need. She had bars put into their shower and a seat so she could sit as well as a bar along the wall.

Coming out of the shower she wrapped a towel around herself before stepping over and grabbing the walker. She walked across the hall into her and Peter's bedroom and sat down on the bench in front of her vanity pulling out her hair dryer and brush.

Finished with her hair and makeup, she stood up and crossed the room to the back of the bedroom door where her dress was hanging.

Dress on, she sat on the edge of the bed and put her feet into the pair of tennis-shoes sitting on the floor. They looked ridiculous with the evening gown she wore, but she didn't plan on wearing these shoes for long. Next to the bed sat her big handbag which held her high heels she would put on as soon as she arrived at the event.

Remembering one last thing she needed, she opened the closet door and pulled out a wooden carved cane she was given by Neal and Mozzie much to Peter's irritation. It was such a sweet gesture by both men she couldn't say no. After, she let her husband know he had nothing to be upset about, that he had already done so much for her. His love and support as she tried to figure out how to continue to live the life she wanted on her own terms was more than she could have asked for.

Coming out to the living room holding the walker and cane with her bag over her shoulder, she checked her watch. The cab she had called for would be there to pick her up in a few minutes.

Satchmo looked up at her sitting patiently. "I guess it's that time, huh?" El rolled the dining table chair over and sat down as she reached for the dog food and leaned down to put food into Satchmo's bowl.

She looked out the front window and saw the cab pulling up in front of the house. Patting Satchmo one more time she steadied herself as she walked out with just the wooden cane.

2

She entered the gallery from the back and found Yvonne. She asked her how everything was.

"Everything is all set," Yvonne said.

El spotted a chair and sat down handing her cane over to Yvonne so she could switch shoes. "Thanks," she took the cane back and stood up. "Have you seen my husband yet?"

"He just got here a few minutes ago," Yvonne followed her to the door pointing out into the gallery. Peter was dressed in a tuxedo talking with Neal dressed similarly.

El smiled and nodded squeezing Yvonne's hand in thanks before exiting the room and heading towards Peter and Neal. "Don't you both look handsome," she said.

Peter's face lit up smiling at El giving her a kiss. "Beautiful," he said.

"El, thank you," Neal said pressing a light kiss to her cheek. "You out did yourself." Neal had been finished with his probation for nearly six months and was a manager at this very gallery the event was being held. It had been Neal who had hired her for the art show.

El waved her hand dismissively. "I have an amazing staff."

3

It was late when El and Peter had returned home. As soon as she entered the house she had handed her cane over to Peter to put it away in their closet and took hold of the walker. With the support of the walker she took off her high heels. Peter had waited and picked up her shoes and take them and the cane into their room.

She headed to the bathroom and got ready for bed passing Peter as she came out and came in. She went to their bed and crawled in under the covers. She closed her eyes resting comfortably against her pillows feeling Peter climb into the bed next to her.

It was a few minutes later she heard her cell phone bleat out next to her. She picked it up and checked the text message. It was from Neal.

_Boss very impressed. Thank u again. May have some business for u._

_ Neal_

"Everything okay?" Peter mumbled from his side of the bed.

"Yep, everything's fine. I'll tell you in the morning," El smiled and put her phone down before curling up and falling asleep.

The End


End file.
